Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1887-09-27

cutters has been very small in proportion 60 their
dlsplacements, whereas In the Thistle the power
so great in proportion as the Volunteers
The great advantage OF the broad beamed model is
that II is able, when equally well proportioned. 10
spreau More canvas per ton than the narrow
model. That the English yachtsmen have come TO
understand this Is shown by the change made IN
the rules OF measurement by which the heavy tax
on beam is taken OF, and by the building OF
broader-beamed cutter TO send AFT er the Americas
cup than either OF those previously sent after Il.
ease with which a narrow deep model is forced
through the water may be seen In the shape OF
Cen Paines deep and narrow Volunteer, deep and
narrow as compared with the Priscilla and other
fast yachts built here before she was
In comparing We are. unfortunately without
the exact hgVes or the Thistle's dimensions, but
taking those put forward by her friends we ind
that she more nearly approaches the proportions
which gave the little Clara such wonderful repu-
tatlon. Tnat she does not in the figures equal her
may or may not be cause for American congratu-
lat1ons. Possibly but not probably, the displace-
ment OF the Thistle Is placed too high by her
friends. Al any rate the Thistle will spread about
$3.50 square feet OF canvas, according 10 the
American rules for measuring, while the Volun-
teer spreads but 120 feet more This is ominously
like the proportions OF the Genesta TO the Puritan
with the excess in favor OF the cutter because the
Thistle's spread approaches nearer 10 the Volun-
teers than the GeneSta'S did 10 the Puritan's The
displacement OF the Volunteer Is ll6 tons and OF
the Thistle probably not less than laJ She prob
ably displaces las tons. At 135 she is able 10
carry 65.S square feet 10 the ton while the Nolun-
teer carries U.6 square feet. when we remember
that the Cinderella, with less canvas per ton OF
displacement, is able TO give the Clara fair tight,
We may be comfOrted somewhat by the conSidera-
ton that
THE VOLUNTEER CARRIES MORE CANVASS FER TON
THAN THE THISTLE
and Is abundartly able, because OF greater BEAM
to do so. But II We compare the Thistle with the
Genesta on these lines We are again dsauieted
The Thistle not only spreads somewhat more can
vasS per ton than the Clara, but she spreads 30
per cent more per ton than the Genesta
did. The Genesta spread 81 feet per
ton, while the Puritan spread .lg feet
The Volunteer spreads 10 per cent more than the
Puritan. The cutter men argue that since the
Thistle spreads 30 per cent more than the Geuests
while the Volunteer spreads but 10 more than the
Puritan, the Thistle must win, because In the
great race between the Puritan and the Genesta
the sioop won 10y only minute and 81 seconds.
In this, however, the cutter men go too lar. That
an addition OF 30 per cent TO the power does
not mean an addition OF 80 Or 20 or 10 per cent
the speed, is shown by the fact that the cutter
men do not claim that the Thistle Is more than 20
minutes better than the Genesta I'm race OF seven
hours length. Besides II must not be forgotten
that while the Volunteer carries more canvass per
ton than the Puritan she Is deeper in proportion,
and thus far has whatever advantage there may
be in that, While the Thistle. being much wider In
proportion than the Genesta is according TO cutter
ideas, 10 certain extent In this respect at dis
advantage.
The sum OF 1t all is that the computations OF the
proportions between sail area and displacement in
the big Sloop. and the big cutter tend TO raise
Thistle stock, though not quite Tar enough to en-
able her to declare dividend.
There Is one other feature OF the hulls OF the
two boats well worth considering. The lines OF
the ThiStleS hull were carefully worked out by
the best Scotch mechanics when she was con-
Structed. So far as she shows above water the
lines as clean and as beautiful as the curve OF
q rainbow. That Mr.. Burgess ideas received just
ice at the hands or the mechanics who built her
no one will assert. That the ms and outs OF her
lines and the roughneSs OF her seams and joints
will delay her Is certain but the superiority OF her
model Is also certain TO manifest itself and, fiukeS
excepted, to save the Americas cup.